I'm getting in late on this conversation - and I see lots of great banjos listed. I've played soo many different kinds at the music shops, and played lots of great ones. I like the Mastertone banjos, but I prefer the Stelling bluegrass banjos. I'm not an expert on bluegfrass banjos - so maybe I have odd tastes but I wouldn't prefer a Gibson for bluegrass.

But I have to say I love Deering banjos. They make a bunch of models and they make great products at each level.

I owned one of their "Tubaphone remakes" - a Vega longneck and it was truly a beautiful instrument. The sound was superb! I kick myself for letting it go a few years back ... but I will have another one of their top of the line banjos soon. Very likely this model with an open back - and I am not sure about the tone ring yet. I will not get a long neck again (don't use it) and I need one fitted with good electronics, so the Vega Tubaphone combination is probably out.

If you play all the Deering models, I believe you'll be impressed with the beauty of each one. I am particulalrly talking about the sound of each instrument. They just don;t make a bad banjo, even their cheap little Goodtime banjo is a serious instrument at the price of a toy!

I have come across a lot of old banjos that I love, the old Fairbanks and others. I had a very old Fairbanks for a long time, years ago.